C S I CHRIST CHURCH KODUKULANJI

kandiyoor

ANANTHANAYUM VASUKIYAYUM NAGARAJAV

udan varunnu......

udan pratheekshikkuka.....

keralavum malayalikalum....................                        
........... ............................ oru kurippu

gajamela---2012

Thrissur Pooram

Thrissur Pooram

Pooram (Malayalam: പൂരം, pronounced [puːɾam]) is one of the nakshatras or star in the Hindu panchangam. There are 27 Nakshatras in the Hindu panchangam and a million or more temples in Kerala, and this combination creates numerous possibilities for auspicious occasions, with each temple having varying importance for the different stars. However, over the years, the pooram nakshatram has gained special significance in its association with temple festivals, mainly because of its association with Thrissur. It has now taken on a different meaning all together, because of the huge congregation of people during the pooram festival in Thrissur

Thrissur Pooram is called 'the pooram of all poorams' (festival). UNESCO adjudged Thrissur Pooram as “the most spectacular festival event on the planet”. It is one of the biggest  of all the festivals held in Kerala state. The Thrissur pooram, is celebrated every year in the month of Medam (mid-April to mid-may) as per the malayalam calendar. Thrissur pooram is hosted by the Thrissur Vadakkumnadhan Temple at the Thekkinkadu Maidan, the hillock in which the temple is situated. The festival is held for 36 hours from the morning of the starting day. It starts as an ensemble of cheru poorams (meaning little poorams) conducted by 8 other temples in the vicinity. The major celebrations of the pooram is not conducted by the Vadakkunnadhan temple, but by Paramekkavu Bhagavathy and Thiruvambadi Bhagavathy, the deities who are supposed to be the representations of the Hindu goddess Parvati, thus the wives of Lord Shiva, the Vadakkunnadhan. These two local temples conduct the festivals in a very competitive matter. The main events of the pooram are Madhathil Varavu (by Thiruvambady Temple),Ilanjithara melam (by Paramekkavu Temple), Kudamattam (by both) and Vedikkettu, which is the local word for firworks (by both).

History

The Thrissur pooram was orchestrated by the then ruler of Cochin, Sakthan Thampuran or Raja Rama Varma, in 1798.[8] Sakthan Thampuran, so known for his firm and decisive administration, decided to break tradition and create a venue for the temples belonging to his region to celebrate their pooram festival. Before the advent of Thrissur Pooram, the largest temple festival during summer in Thrissur thaluk was the one-day festival held at Arattupuzha, 12km south of the city. Temples in and around Thrissur were regular participants of this religious exercise until they were denied entry by the chief of Peruvanam Gramam.[citation needed] The delay caused by the temples from Thrissur and Kuttanellur, was one of the reasons for denial. This caused the Thrissur Naduvazhi, the chief poojari of Vadakkunnathan, known as Yogadiripad and the Kuttanellur Naduvazhi started the pooram in Thrissur[citation needed]. This pooram started as an act of reprisal quickly lost its charm, after infighting between the two main Naduvazhis. It required the intervention of the ruler to get this right[citation needed].

Sakthan Thampuran unified the 10 temples situated around Vadakkunnathan temple and organized the celebration of Thrissur Pooram as a mass festival. Sakthan Thampuran ordained these temples into two groups, Western group and Eastern group. The Western group as Thiruvambady consisting of Kanimangalam, Laloor, Ayyanthole, Nethilakkavu and the Thiruvambady temple, as the main one. The Eastern group called as Paramekkavu, consisting in addition to Paramekkavu temple, Karamukku, Chembukavu, Choorakottukavu and Panamukkamppilly. The pooram was to be centered around the Vadakkunnathan temple, with all these temples sending their poorams (the whole procession), to pay obeisance to the Shiva, the presiding deity. The Thampuran is believed to have chalked out the program and the main events of the Thrissur pooram festival.

Ceremonies

Principle participants are Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple and Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple. The following temples take part in the cheru poorams:

Kanimangalam Sastha Temple at Kanimangalam

Pookkattikkara - Karamukku Baghavathy Temple at Karamukku near Chiyyaram

Choorakkottukavu Bagavathy Temple at Choorakkattukara

Laloor Baghavathy Temple at Laloor

Sree Karthyayani Temple at Ayyanthole

Neithilakkavu Bhagavathy Temple at Neithilakkavu near Kuttur

Chembukkavu Bhagavathy Temple at Chembukkavu

Panamukkumpally Sastha Temple at Panamukkampilly near East Fort, Thrissur

Vadakkumnadhan temple, where the pooram is held

Vadakkunnathan is a mere spectator at this festival, lending its premises and grounds for the great event[weasel words] . The pooram (festival) is also well known for the magnificent display of fireworks. Fire works start in the early hours and the dazzling display last three to four hours. The Pooram Festival is celebrated by two rival groups representing the two divisions of Thrissur Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi vying with each other in making the display of fireworks grander and more colourful. Each group is allowed to display a maximum of fifteen elephants and all efforts are made by each party to secure the best elephants in South India and the most artistic and colourful parasols, which are raised on the elephants during the display. Commencing in the early hours of the morning, the celebrations last till the break of dawn, the next day.

The marvelous[weasel words] as well as magical effect[peacock term] of the Panchavadyam, a combination of five percussion and wind instruments is to be felt and enjoyed. Among the varieties of festivals celebrated in Kerala, Thrissur Pooram is the most thunderous[weasel words], spectacular and dazzling[weasel words]. There are three temples participating in the event. It is an expression of popular fascination for sound and colour, and because of the pageantry, it appeals to all people[peacock term]. The images of the deities from all temples of the village are taken on elephants to the main temple. The climax of the festival is the exhibition of thirty elephants and the famous fireworks at 2.30 AM local time.

Adhering to the medieval Peruvanam tradition, the festival is confined to the temples of Devi (goddess) and Sastha (divine combination of Shiva and Vishnu). Ten deities from the neighbouring temples pay obeisance to the presiding deiety of Thrissur.

[edit]Cultural Influences

Despite being a Hindu festival, the Thrissur pooram is attended by different sections of the Kerala society.[9] Several replicas of the festival are held in places within Kerala [10] as well as outside the state.[11][12][13]

[edit]Controversies

For the fireworks ceremony, which is held as two parts - a sample one (called Sample Vedikkettu, held one day before the pooram) and the final one, chemicals are used extensively. This has caused several allegations against the organizers for violating the regulations regarding sound pollution. In the past, there were several accidents[citation needed] during the event as well during the manufacture of fireworks chemicals, which has caused in the deaths of several people.[14]

Another topic of concern is the use of elephants. Due to the competitive nature of the festival between Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi temples, as well as the presence of cheru poorams elephants are used continuously as well as in large numbers. This has caused elephants to collapse [15] as well as to run amok. This has caused concern among the animal activists as well as the common people. Though the government has issued several guidelines regarding the parading of elephants in the festivals, there are several allegations of them being not observed strictly.[16]

keralam prathamika vivarangal

keralam prathamika vivarangal